U.S. patent application number 14/627740 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-11 for apparatus and method for controlling, and authentication server and authentication method therefor.
The applicant listed for this patent is FASOO.COM CO., LTD. Invention is credited to Pil-Gu KANG, Kwang-Hoon KIM.
Application Number | 20150160900 14/627740 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49454560 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150160900 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KANG; Pil-Gu ; et
al. |
June 11, 2015 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING, AND AUTHENTICATION SERVER AND
AUTHENTICATION METHOD THEREFOR
Abstract
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for controlling printing
using a virtual printer, and an authentication server and
authentication method therefor. A virtual printing unit of the
printing control apparatus encrypts data to be printed
corresponding to a print command, as an input, the print command
for outputting a document, and generates document information which
is information on the data to be printed, and/or user information
for user authentication. A user authentication unit transmits the
document information and/or the user information to the
authentication server for user authentication, and receives, from
the authentication server, a print request command including
printer identification information designated by a user and/or
authentication information indicating the result of user
authentication. A printing control unit decrypts the encrypted data
to be printed when the print request command is received, and
transmits the decrypted data to be a designated printer.
Inventors: |
KANG; Pil-Gu; (Incheon,
KR) ; KIM; Kwang-Hoon; (Seoul, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FASOO.COM CO., LTD |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
49454560 |
Appl. No.: |
14/627740 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/KR2013/007482 |
Aug 21, 2013 |
|
|
|
14627740 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/1292 20130101;
G06F 21/608 20130101; G06F 3/1288 20130101; G06F 3/1222 20130101;
H04L 63/08 20130101; G06F 3/1238 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/12 20060101
G06F003/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 21, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0091336 |
Claims
1. A printing control apparatus comprising: a virtual printing unit
configured to encrypt printing target data corresponding to a
printing command for printing out and generate at least one of
document information which is information on the printing target
data and user information which is used to authenticate the user
when the printing command is entered from a user of a user terminal
in which the printing target data is stored; a user authentication
unit configured to transmit at least one of the document
information and the user information to an authentication server
for authenticating the user between the user terminal and a
separate authentication device and receive a printing request
command including at least one of identification information of a
printer designated by the user and authentication information
indicating an authentication result of the user from the
authentication server; and a printing control unit configured to
receive the printing request command, decrypt the encrypted
printing target data, and transmit the decrypted printing target
data to the printer designated by the user, wherein the
authentication server performs user authentication by comparing the
user information received from the user terminal with login
information received from the user who has performed access through
the authentication device and transmits the printing request
command to the user authentication unit when the user is determined
to have printing authority.
2. The printing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the document
information includes at least one of a name of the printing target
data, a time at which the printing target data is stored in the
user terminal, and the number of papers to be printed, which is set
by the user, and the user information includes at least one of an
identity, a password, a name, an e-mail, a division, and a rank of
the user.
3. The printing control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the virtual
printing unit is a printer that is selected by the printing command
in the user terminal.
4. An authentication server comprising: a user terminal interface
unit configured to communicate with a user terminal of a user,
receive at least one of document information, which is information
on printing target data corresponding to a printing command entered
into the user terminal in which the printing target data is stored,
and user information, which is used to authenticate the use, and
transmit a printing request command including authentication
information indicating a result of the authentication of the user
to the user terminal when the user authentication through
communication with a separate authentication device is completed;
and an authentication device interface unit configured to
communicate with the authentication device and authenticate the
user by comparing the user information received from the user
terminal interface unit with login information of the user received
from the authentication device, wherein the authentication device
interface unit transmits information on one or more printers
connected with the user terminal to the authentication device when
the user information matches the login information received from
the authentication device and receives identification information
of a printer designated by the user from among the one or more
printers from the authentication device.
5. The authentication server of claim 4, wherein the user terminal
interface unit receives one or more pieces of document information
corresponding to one or more pieces of printing target data from
the user terminal, and wherein the authentication device interface
unit transmits a printing list generated based on the one or more
pieces of document information to the authentication device and
receives identification information of the printing target data
selected by the user from the authentication device.
6. A printing control method comprising: (a) when a printing
command for printing out a document is entered from a user of a
user terminal in which printing target data is stored, encrypting
the printing target data corresponding to the printing command and
generating at least one of document information which is
information on the printing target data and user information which
is used to authenticate the user; (b) transmitting at least one of
the document information and the user information to an
authentication server for authenticating the user between the user
terminal and a separate authentication device; (c) receiving a
printing request command including at least one of identification
information of a printer designated by the user and authentication
information indicating an authentication result of the user from
the authentication server; and (d) decrypting the encrypted
printing target data when the printing request command is received
and transmitting the decrypted printing target data to the printer
designated by the user, wherein the authentication server performs
user authentication by comparing the user information received from
the user terminal with login information received from the user who
has performed access through the authentication device and
transmits the decrypted printing target data to the printer
designated by the user when the user is determined to have a
printing authority.
7. The printing control method of claim 6, wherein the document
information includes at least one of a name of the printing target
data, a time when the printing target data is stored in the user
terminal, and the number of papers to be printed, which is set by
the user, and the user information includes at least one of an
identity, a password, a name, an e-mail, a division, and a rank of
the user.
8. An authentication method of an authentication server, the
authentication method comprising: (a) communicating with a user
terminal of a user and receiving at least one of document
information, which is information on printing target data
corresponding to a printing command entered into the user terminal
in which the printing target data is stored, and user information,
which is used to authenticate the user from the user terminal; (b)
communicating with a separate authentication device and
authenticating the user by comparing the user information with
login information of the user received from the authentication
device; and (c) transmitting a printing request command including
authentication information indicating an authentication result of
the user to the user terminal when the authentication of the user
is completed, wherein step (b) comprises transmitting information
on one or more printers connected with the user terminal to the
authentication device when the user information matches the login
information received from the authentication device and receiving
identification information of a printer designated by the user from
among the one or more printers from the authentication device.
9. The authentication method of claim 8, wherein step (a) comprises
receiving one or more pieces of document information corresponding
to one or more pieces of printing target data from the user
terminal, and wherein step (b) comprises transmitting a printing
list generated based on the one or more pieces of document
information to the authentication device and receiving
identification information of the printing target data selected by
the user from the authentication device.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a
program for causing a computer to execute the printing control
method of claim 6.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a
program for causing a computer to execute the authentication method
of the authentication server of claim 8.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for
controlling printing, and an authentication server and
authentication method therefor, and more particularly, to an
apparatus and method for transmitting printing information to a
printing control module in a user terminal and transmitting
printing information to a printer connected to a user terminal when
a document output condition is satisfied and to an apparatus and
method for performing user authentication to transmit the printing
information to the printer.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Recently, as the processing of tasks through a network and
the Internet is widely used, in general, a system for sharing an
apparatus such as a printer in order for many people to efficiently
use limited resources is commonly used.
[0003] As such, when a network system is established for a
plurality of user personal computers (PCs) to share one printer
(for example, a network printer), a printer driver is installed in
each user PC, and a port of the printer driver is set to an
Internet protocol (IP) allocated to the network printer.
Subsequently, when the user PC sends a document output command to
the network printer, the network printer prints a document.
Accordingly, since a document may be printed out by an unspecified
PC that can access the IP allocated to the network printer,
critical security documents may be leaked to the outside.
Furthermore, a document that is output through the shared network
printer may be accessed by a number of unspecified persons, thus
causing information security to be vulnerable.
[0004] Some schemes to solve these problems have been proposed, for
example one scheme in which a security document can be printed out
only after going through a separate authentication process using a
specific program that is previously installed in the user PC, and
another scheme in which a user directly accesses a printer to
obtain the authentication from the printer. However, these schemes
have also limitations in which a printout still have vulnerable
security until the printout is collected by the user after a user
PC executes a document output command.
[0005] A system for security of printed paper that is disclosed in
Korean Patent No. 0352905 is configured to assign a printing task
corresponding to a document printing command of an application
program of a client computer to a security printing unit by force
and to transmit, by the security printing unit, secured printing
data to a printer according to a result of user authentication.
[0006] In addition, Korean Patent No. 0544478 discloses a printing
apparatus for receiving information that is requested to be printed
by a person who has requested printing and a security level of the
information, authorizing the request for the printing when a
printing allowed level of the person is higher than the security
level, and printing the requested information when a randomly
generated password matches a password entered by the person.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0007] The present invention is directed to providing an apparatus
and method for controlling printing, and an authentication server
and authentication method therefor, which may allow an authorized
user to print out a document and also enhance security of the
document that is printed out through the printer.
[0008] The present invention is also directed to providing a
computer-readable recording medium that records a program for
causing a computer to execute a method for controlling printing and
an authentication method of the authentication server, which may
allow an authorized user to print out a document and also enhance
security of the document that is printed out through the
printer.
Technical Solution
[0009] One aspect of the present invention provides a printing
control apparatus including: a virtual printing unit configured to
encrypt printing target data corresponding to a printing command
for printing out a document and generate at least one of document
information which is information on the printing target data and
user information which is used to authenticate the user when the
printing command is entered from a user of a user terminal in which
the printing target data is stored; a user authentication unit
configured to transmit at least one of the document information and
the user information to an authentication server for authenticating
the user between the user terminal and a separate authentication
device and receive a printing request command including at least
one of identification information of a printer designated by the
user and authentication information indicating an authentication
result of the user from the authentication server; and a printing
control unit configured to receive the printing request command,
decrypt the encrypted printing target data, and transmit the
decrypted printing target data to the printer designated by the
user, in which the authentication server performs user
authentication by comparing the user information received from the
user terminal with login information entered from the user who has
performed access through the authentication device and transmits
the printing request command to the user authentication unit when
the user is determined to have printing authority.
[0010] Another aspect of the present invention provides a printing
control method including: (a) when a printing command for printing
out a document is entered from a user of a user terminal in which
printing target data is stored, encrypting the printing target data
corresponding to the printing command and generating at least one
of document information which is information on the printing target
data and user information which is used to authenticate the user;
(b) transmitting at least one of the document information and the
user information to an authentication server for authenticating the
user between the user terminal and a separate authentication
device; (c) receiving a printing request command including at least
one of identification information of a printer designated by the
user and authentication information indicating an authentication
result of the user from the authentication server; and (d)
decrypting the encrypted printing target data when the printing
request command is received and transmitting the decrypted printing
target data to the printer designated by the user, in which the
authentication server performs user authentication by comparing the
user information received from the user terminal with login
information received from the user who has performed access through
the authentication device and transmits the decrypted printing
target data to the printer designated by the user when the user is
determined to have a printing authority.
[0011] Still another aspect of the present invention provides an
authentication server including: a user terminal interface unit
configured to communicate with a user terminal of a user, receive
at least one of document information, which is information on
printing target data corresponding to a printing command entered
into the user terminal in which the printing target data is stored,
and user information, which is used to authenticate the user, and
transmit a printing request command including authentication
information indicating a result of the authentication of the user
to the user terminal when the user authentication through
communication with a separate authentication device is completed;
and an authentication device interface unit configured to
communicate with the authentication device and authenticate the
user by comparing the user information received from the user
terminal interface unit with login information of the user received
from the authentication device, in which the authentication device
interface unit transmits information on one or more printers
connected with the user terminal to the authentication device when
the user information matches the login information received from
the authentication device and receives identification information
of a printer designated by the user from among the one or more
printers from the authentication device.
[0012] Yet still another aspect of the present invention provides
an authentication method of an authentication server, the
authentication method including: (a) communicating with a user
terminal of a user and receiving at least one of document
information, which is information on printing target data
corresponding to a printing command entered into the user terminal
in which the printing target data is stored, and user information,
which is used to authenticate the user from the user terminal; (b)
communicating with a separate authentication device and
authenticating the user by comparing the user information with
login information of the user received from the authentication
device; and (c) transmitting a printing request command including
authentication information indicating an authentication result of
the user to the user terminal when the authentication of the user
is completed, in which step (b) includes transmitting information
on one or more printers connected with the user terminal to the
authentication device when the user information matches the login
information received from the authentication device and receiving
identification information of a printer designated by the user from
among the one or more printers from the authentication device.
Advantageous Effects
[0013] With an apparatus and method for controlling printing, and
an authentication server and authentication method therefor
according to the present invention, the user may enter a printing
command to the user terminal and then perform user authentication
through the separate authentication device at a time and position
in which the document is actually desired to be printed out to
collect the printed document immediately, thereby enhancing
security compared to the existing printing system.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a view showing an overall configuration of a
printing system including a printing control apparatus, and an
authentication server according to the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
preferred embodiment of a printing control apparatus according to
the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
preferred embodiment of an authentication server according to the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of performing a
preferred embodiment of a printing control method according to the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of performing a
preferred embodiment for a user authentication method performed by
an authentication server according to the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of printing out a
document from a printer according to a printing command of a user
in the printing system shown in FIG. 1.
MODES OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an apparatus and
method for controlling printing, and an authentication server and
authentication method therefor according to the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a view showing an overall configuration of a
printing system including a printing control apparatus, and an
authentication server according to the present invention.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, a printing control apparatus according
to the present invention is implemented in a user terminal 100,
such as a personal computer (PC), to execute a printing command
that is entered from a user. The user terminal 100 is connected
with one or more printers 200, which may include a local printer or
a network printer. The printing control apparatus according to the
present invention allows the printer to perform printing by sending
data to be printed (hereinafter also referred to as printing target
data) to a printer 200 that is designated by a user from among the
one or more printers 200 connected with the user terminal 100 at a
time at which the user desires the printing target data. In
particular, the printing control apparatus according to the present
invention is intended to enhance security, and thus may be used in
a company environment in which a plurality of users uses a shared
printer.
[0023] In addition, the printing control apparatus according to the
present invention transmits and/or receives authentication data
including information associated with authentication of the user to
and/or from the authentication server 300 that performs
authentication on the user. The authentication server 300 according
to the present invention authenticates a user who has performed
access through a separate authentication device 400 other than the
user terminal 100, such as a mobile terminal, and transmits a
result of the authentication to the printing control apparatus
according to the present invention, that is, the user terminal 100.
Upon receiving a result of the authentication from the
authentication server 300, the printing control apparatus transmits
printing target data corresponding to the result to the printer 200
to allow the printer 200 to print the data as a document.
[0024] That is, in a printing system to which the present invention
is applied, the user enters a printing command through the user
terminal 100 in which the printing target data is stored, and user
authentication is performed using the separated authentication
device 400 in order to output the printing target data
corresponding to the printing command. The authentication server
300 authenticates the user when user information received from the
user terminal 100 matches login information received from the
authentication device 400 and transmits a printing request command
to the user terminal 100.
[0025] In this case, one reason the authentication server 300
authenticates the user who has perform access through the separate
authentication device 400 other than the user terminal 100 is that
a security document may be leaked until the user picks up the
document printed out from the printer 200 after the user enters a
printing command into the user terminal if the user terminal 100
and the printer 200 are positioned far from each other, in a case
in which the printing target data is transmitted to the printer 200
immediately when the printing command is entered into the user
terminal 100 and thus the printer 200 performs a print-out task.
Another reason is that the user may be allowed to obtain a printout
from a desired printer 200 among the one or more printers 200 at a
desired printing time.
[0026] According to the present invention, although the user enters
an printing command into the user terminal 100, if printing target
data corresponding to the printing command is transmitted to the
printer 200 after an authentication process using the separate
authentication device 400 is completed at a time at which the user
actually desires the printing target data, the user may collect the
document immediately when the document is printed out. Accordingly,
only an authenticated and authorized user can print the document
and also security of the document may be enhanced.
[0027] In this case, in order to achieve an object of enhancement
of document security by performing user authentication at a time at
which the user desires the document to be printed out, a mobile
terminal such as a smartphone, or a PC that is positioned near the
printer 200 designated by the user may be used as the
authentication device 400. The present invention is not limited
thereto.
[0028] A process that is performed by the printing control
apparatus and the authentication server 300 according to the
present invention until the document is printed out through the
printer 200 after the user enters a printing command will be
described in detail below.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
preferred embodiment of a printing control apparatus according to
the present invention.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 2, a printing control apparatus according
to the present invention includes a virtual printing unit 110, a
user authentication unit 120, and a printing control unit 130.
[0031] Upon receiving a printing command for printing out a
document from a user of the user terminal 100, the virtual printing
unit 110 encrypts printing target data corresponding to a print
command and generates at least one of document information which is
information on the printing target data and user information which
is used for user authentication.
[0032] The virtual printing unit 110 is implemented in the form of
a virtual printing module installed in the user terminal 100, and
the user enables the printing command to be delivered to the
virtual printing unit 110 rather than to be directly delivered to
the printer 200, by selecting the virtual printing module as a
printer to be used for the printing when entering the printing
command through the user terminal 100. When the printing command
entered by the user is delivered, the virtual printing unit 110
encrypts printing target data corresponding to the entered printing
command among pieces of data stored in the user terminal 100.
[0033] The virtual printing unit 110 generates at least one of
document information which is information on the printing target
data and user information which is used for user authentication
while encrypting the printing target data. The document information
may include at least one of a name of the printing target data, a
time at which the printing target data is generated or stored in
the user terminal 100, and the number of papers to be printed,
which is set by the user, and the user information which is
information for authenticating a user and may include at least one
of an identity (ID), a password (PW), a mail address of the user,
and position information (a division and a rank) if the user
belongs to a company.
[0034] The virtual printing unit 110 transmits at least one of the
document information and the user information to the user
authentication unit 120 and transmits the encrypted printing target
data to the printing control unit 130.
[0035] The user authentication unit 120 transmits at least one of
the document information and the user information to the
authentication server 300 that authenticates the user between the
authentication device 400 of the user and the user terminal 100 and
receives a printing request command including at least one of
identification information of the printer 200 that is designated by
the user and authentication information indicating a result of the
user authentication from the authentication server 300 when the
user authentication is completed by the authentication server 300.
The printing request command denotes a command for printing out the
printing target data as a document from the printer 200. When the
authentication server 300 fails the user authentication through
communication with the authentication device 400, the user
authentication unit 120 receives authentication failure data.
[0036] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
preferred embodiment of an authentication server 300 according to
the present invention.
[0037] Referring to FIG. 3, the authentication server 300 according
to the present invention includes a user terminal interface unit
310, an authentication device interface unit 320, and a storage
unit 330.
[0038] The user terminal interface unit 310 communicates with the
user authentication unit 120 of the printing control apparatus
according to the present invention, and the authentication device
interface unit 320 communicates with the authentication device 400
of the user. In addition, document information and user information
that are received from the user authentication unit 120,
identification information of the printer 200 designated by the
user, which is information received from the authentication device
400, identification information of the printing target data
selected by the user, and authentication information indicating an
authentication result of the user are stored in the storage unit
330. In addition, identification information of the printer 200
that is connected with the user terminal 100 may be stored, thus
allowing the user to designate a printer through the authentication
device 400.
[0039] The user terminal interface unit 310 receives at least one
of the document information and the user information from the user
authentication unit 120 of the printing control apparatus according
to the present invention and stores the received information in the
storage unit 330.
[0040] Subsequently, when the user accesses the authentication
server 300 using the authentication device 400 and then enters
login information for user authentication, such as an identity (ID)
and a password (PW), the authentication device interface unit 320
compares the login information (the identity (ID) and the password
(PW) received from the authentication device 400 with the user
information stored in the storage unit 330. When a result of the
comparison is that the login information matches the user
information, the authentication device interface unit 320
transmits, to the authentication device 400, a message informing
that the user authentication has been completed. In contrast, when
the entered login information does not match the stored user
information, the authentication device interface unit 320 generates
and delivers a message informing that the user authentication has
failed to the user terminal interface unit 310, and the user
terminal interface unit 310 transmits authentication failure data
to the user terminal 100, that is, the user authentication unit 120
of the printing control apparatus according to the present
invention.
[0041] When the authentication device 400 is a mobile terminal, the
user authentication may be performed by accessing a mobile version
of a user authentication website or by using a program or
application for the user authentication. When the authentication
device 400 is a PC, the user authentication may be performed by
accessing the user authentication website.
[0042] After the user authentication is completed, the
authentication device interface unit 320 may transmits, to the
authentication device 400, a printing list of the authenticated
user, that is, the user of the user terminal 100 and the
authentication device 400. The printing list is generated based on
one or more pieces of document information that are transmitted
from the user authentication unit 120 of the printing control
apparatus according to the present invention to the authentication
device 400, and is intended for the user to select a document to be
currently printed out through the printer 200.
[0043] When there are one or more pieces of the printing target
data corresponding to the printing command the user enters into the
user terminal 100, the virtual printing unit 110 generates one or
more pieces of document information corresponding to the printing
target data. The generated one or more pieces of document
information are transmitted to the authentication server 300 and
stored in the storage unit 330, and the authentication device
interface unit 320 generates a printing list from the one or more
pieces of document information to transmit the printing list to the
authentication device 400 when the user authentication through the
authentication device 400 is completed. Preferably, the printing
list is composed of identification information of the printing
target data included in the document information, for example, a
name of the printing target data. However, the present invention is
not limited thereto as long as the identification information is
data for identifying the printing target data. The printing list
may be output through a screen of the authentication device 400 and
may enable the user to select the desired printing target data.
[0044] In addition, the authentication device interface unit 320
may transmit the identification information of the one or more
printers 200 that are connected with the user terminal 100 to the
authentication device 400 and allow the user to designate, through
the authentication device 400, the printer 200 from which the user
desires the document to be printed out. The identification
information of the printer 200 may be, but not limited thereto, a
port number to which the printer 200 is connected or an IP address
of the printer 200. Accordingly, when the authentication device 400
is a mobile terminal, a user of the mobile terminal may perform the
user authentication through the authentication device 400 at a time
at which the document is desired to be printed out and may
designate a printer 200 from which the document is desired to be
printed out, thus collecting the document immediately when the
document is printed out from the desired printer 200. In addition,
when the authentication device 400 is a PC, the user may designate
a printer 200 that is positioned near the PC and enable the
document to be printed out from the printer 200.
[0045] At least one of the identification information of the
printing target data selected by the user through the
authentication device 400 and identification information of the
printer 200 designated by the user is transmitted to the
authentication device interface unit 320 of the authentication
server 300, and the authentication device interface unit 320
delivers a printing request command including at least one of the
identification of the selected printing target data, the
identification information of the designated printer 200, and the
authentication information of the user to the user terminal
interface unit 310. In addition, as described above, the
information included in the printing request command is stored in
the storage unit 330.
[0046] Last, the user terminal interface unit 310 transmits the
delivered printing request command to the user authentication unit
120 of the printing control apparatus according to the present
invention.
[0047] When the printing request command is received by the user
authentication unit 120 from the authentication server 300, the
printing control unit 140 of the printing control apparatus
according to the present invention decrypts and transmits the
encrypted printing target data to the designated printer 200. Upon
receiving the printing target data, the printer 200 prints out the
document. In this case, preferably, the printing target data is
presented in the form of an image, but is not limited thereto.
[0048] In addition, the printing control unit 140 may determine
whether a user corresponding to the printing request command
received from the authentication server 300 has printing authority
with reference to a printing policy that is previously stored, and
transmit the decrypted printing target data to the designated
printer 200 only when the user is determined to have the printing
authority. The printing policy may be stored in the user terminal
100, and transmitted periodically or passively from the
authentication server 300 and updated.
[0049] As described above, according to the printing control
apparatus and the authentication server 300 according to the
present invention, the user may enter a printing command to the
user terminal 100 and then perform user authentication through the
authentication device 400 at a time and position in which the user
actually desires the document to be printed out to collect the
printed document immediately, thereby enhancing security compared
to the existing printing system. Furthermore, the user does not use
a fixed printer and may select a printer 200 from which the
document is desired to be printed out depending to a location of
the user, thereby increasing the convenience of the user.
[0050] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of performing a
preferred embodiment of a printing control method according to the
present invention.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 4, when a printing command is received
from a user of the user terminal 100 (S1010), the virtual printing
unit 110 encrypts printing target data corresponding to the
printing command and generates at least one of document information
and user information (S1020). In this case, the printing target
data may be generated as an image and then encrypted. Next, the
user authentication unit 120 transmits at least one of the document
information and the user information to the authentication server
300 (S1030).
[0052] Subsequently, when user authentication is completed by the
authentication server 300 through communication between the
authentication server 300 and the authentication device 400 of the
user and a printing request command is received from the
authentication server 300 (S1040), the printing control unit 130
decrypts and transmits the encrypted printing target data to a
printer that is designated by the user (S1050), thus allowing the
printing target data to be printed out from the printer 200 as an
actual document.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of performing a
preferred embodiment for a user authentication method performed by
an authentication server 300 according to the present
invention.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, the authentication device interface
unit 320 receives login information of a user, for example, an
identity (ID) and a password (PW), from the authentication device
400 (S1110), and determines whether the received login information
matches user information stored in the storage unit 330
(S1120).
[0055] When the received login information matches the stored user
information, the authentication device interface unit 320 provides
at least one of a printing list generated from one or more pieces
of document information and identification information of the
printer 200 connected to the user terminal 100 to allow the user to
select printing target data to be printed out as a document and
designate the printer 200 (S1130). However, this process may be
omitted as necessary.
[0056] When the user authentication fails, the user terminal
interface unit 310 transmits authentication failure data to at
least one of the user terminal 100 or the authentication device 400
(S1150), thereby canceling the next printing process.
[0057] Upon receiving at least one of identification information of
the printing target data selected by the user and identification
information of the printer 200 designated by the user from the
authentication device interface unit 320, the user terminal
interface unit 310 transmits a printing request command including
the information to the user terminal 100 (S1140), thus allowing the
document to be printed out from the designated printer 200.
[0058] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of printing out a
document from a printer 200 according to a printing command of a
user in the printing system shown in FIG. 1.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 6, when a printing command is received
from the user through the user terminal 100 (S1200), the virtual
printing unit 110 of the printing control apparatus according to
the present invention that is implemented in the user terminal 100
encrypts printing target data (S1210), and the user authentication
unit 120 transmits at least one of document information and user
information generated by the virtual printing unit 110 to the
authentication server 300 (S1220).
[0060] The authentication device interface unit 320 of the
authentication server 300 receives login information of the user,
for example, an identity (ID) and a password (PW), from the
authentication device 400 (S1230), and performs user authentication
by comparing the login information with stored user information
(S1240). In addition, the authentication device interface unit 320
provides at least one of a printing list and information on the
printer 200 to the authentication device 400 when the user
authentication is completed (S1250), thus allowing the user to
select printing target data through the authentication device 400
and designate the printer 200 (S1260).
[0061] When the above process is completed, the user terminal
interface unit 310 transmits a printing request command to the user
terminal 100 (S1270), and the printing control unit 130 of the
printing control device according to the present invention
transmits the decrypted printing target data to the designated
printer 200 (S1280). The printer 200 prints out the received
printing target data as a document (S1290).
[0062] The invention can also be embodied as computer-readable
codes on a computer-readable recording medium. The
computer-readable recording medium is any kind of recording medium
for storing data that may be read by a computer system. Examples of
the computer readable recording medium include read-only memory
(ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy
disks, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (such as
data transmission through the Internet). The computer-readable
recording medium can also be distributed over network-coupled
computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and
executed in a distributed fashion.
[0063] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it
should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set
forth herein. It will be understood by those skilled in the art
that various changes in form and details may be made to the
described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope
of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
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